No Going Into NATO by Ukraine: Trump's Message To Zelensky Ahead of Talks At White House

US President Donald Trump has advised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to consider a peace agreement with Russia, referencing historical events and recent diplomatic discussions.

Ahead of talks at the White House, US President Donald Trump on Sunday (local time) sent a message to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that he can end the war with Russia immediately but there would be "no going into NATO by Ukraine" as part of a peace deal.

US President Donald Trump urged Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy to consider a peace agreement with Russia. He suggested that Zelenskyy has the power to end the conflict swiftly or continue fighting.

Trump, speaking on Truth Social, also dismissed any possibility of reclaiming Crimea or Ukraine joining NATO, which Russia opposes. "President Zelenskyy of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight. Remember how it started. No getting back Obama given Crimea (12 years ago, without a shot being fired!), and NO GOING INTO NATO BY UKRAINE. Some things never change!!!" he stated.

Trump's Meeting with European Leaders

The US President is preparing to host Zelenskyy and several European leaders in Washington for discussions. "Big day at the White House tomorrow. Never had so many European Leaders at one time. My great honor to host them!!!" Trump expressed on Truth Social.

Trump recently met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, where they discussed potential peace solutions for Ukraine. He mentioned "BIG PROGRESS ON RUSSIA" in a social media post but did not provide further details.

Putin's Offer and Security Guarantees

During their talks, Putin proposed freezing most front lines if Ukraine ceded all of Donetsk, an offer Zelenskyy rejected. Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff revealed that Putin agreed to allow "robust security guarantees" for Ukraine from the United States as part of a possible peace deal.

Witkoff also noted that Putin consented to "legislative enshrinement" by Russia not to enter any other territories in Ukraine or Europe.

Ceasefire Discussions

Initially, Trump aimed for an immediate ceasefire during his summit with Putin but later aligned with Russia's stance that negotiations could proceed without one. This approach was not well-received by some European allies of Ukraine.

On Friday, Trump emphasized that Ukraine should negotiate peace due to Russia's significant power compared to Ukraine's capabilities.

The annexation of Crimea by Russia occurred after a pro-Russian president was ousted by Ukraine's parliament for rejecting an EU association deal. Russia viewed this as a Western-backed coup and annexed Crimea on March 21, 2014, citing protection of ethnic Russians and interests.

Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18 based in Noida, specializing in international news curation with over three years of experience in digital media.